Re: Shrimp & Hair algae

["F. Tadeo" <el_boy@hotmail.com>]

i'm not too sure about the mole shrimp but i have kept ghost shrimp for two 
years so i know a little more about them and i can share my experiences with 
them :)
the ghost shrimp do start off eating algae but will soon discover that fish 
food tastes better.  i think they still eat algae (i'm not sure how much) in 
between fish feedings but they do make good scavengers of uneaten scraps.  
it's really funny to see them hover in the water, flipping their little 
flippers and grabbing food from the surface with their claws. i have even 
seen some ghost shrimp attack snails, ripping them out of their shells with 
their claws.  ghost shrimp also last for a long time.  i have had a few live 
for several months to almost one year.  they breed very easily too, but i 
have never had the shrimp babies survive in my community tank.  as for their 
turning into fish food, i have not had that problem.  they camouflage pretty 
well and the only time my fish pick on them is when they swim to the top to 
feed on flake food with the surface fish.  ghost shrimp, unlike my bumble 
been and small "amano" shrimp, are not afraid to walk where there is no 
plant cover in the tank.  a friend of mine, however, who keeps discus and 
pearl cichlids said that his ghost shrimp mysteriously disappeared one 
night....


if you really want shrimp that feast on algae, i suggest you look for 
"amano" shrimp.  i think their scientific name is cardina japonica and 
stores sell them by the name "algae eating shrimp," "japonica shrimp," 
"amano shrimp," or "yamato numa ebi shrimp."  they're quite pricey around 
here in california.  most stores i have seen sell them for 2.99 a piece 
while i get ghost shrimp for 12 for a dollar.  i was able to buy my amano 
shrimp for .99 each, and the pet store guy even threw in a few extra so i 
got 10 for only five bucks!  amano shrimp also grow large enough not to be 
eaten by dwarf cichlids, or at least i don't think they will be eaten.

i am new to this list as well and i think it's great!  it keeps my mind 
occupied in between physics and chemistry and calculus!

i hope i could help you out but now, i have to ask you a question...
how do you maintain your budget, spend your time wisely, keep from being 
distracted, AND maintain your tanks the same time?  i am a student as well 
and boy, is it difficult!  but it's worth the challenge!

-frank
uc berkeley




>From: "Eric Martina" <emartina@uiuc.edu>
>Reply-To: apisto@listbox.com
>To: "Apisto Group" <apisto@listbox.com>
>Subject: Shrimp & Hair algae
>Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2000 19:37:36 -0500
>
>Hello, I was reading in the archives and found some posts saying that ghost
>shrimp and rainbow shrimp will eat hair algae. My LFS has ghost shrimp and
>mole shrimp. The ghost shrimp they have are very tiny (I think my apistos
>could eat them, or at least rip them apart). So although they are cheap, I
>am afraid that they might not last long enough to eat the algae! (How long
>do they live anyway?) The mole shrimp are brown and much larger, so I would
>rather get them if they will work. Does any one know if the mole shrimp 
>will
>eat the hair algae? What is the cause of the hair algae so I can avoid it 
>in
>the future? I have a planted tank. Thanks!
>
>P.S. I just joined this group last week and I have been asking so many
>questions! I just want to thank everyone for putting up with all of my
>emails and for being so helpful!
>
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Eric Martina
>University of Illinois
>Electrical Engineering
>
>
>
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